New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-08
KILLED IN A BIG EXPLOSION.
ARLINGTON SHAKEN AND A FACTORY
DESTROYED.

DESTROYED.
A NAN AND WOMAN DEAD AND MANY OTHERS
INJURRD-cxLLoNIrE WAS THE STUFF
MANuvACTURED-HO HOW 1T ALL
HAPPENED A MYSTERY.
The pleasant village Of Arlington. N. j., lyine
on the banks of the passaic River about eight
miles from this city on the New-York and Green
wood Lake Railroad was the scene of ceuonite
explosion yesterday which caused the death Of
o man and woman and injured more OF less
severely sixteen Others About two years ago
o man named J. r. France went to Arlington to
look for q site for what he called a celionite
factory. He said that his factory was then at
Newark and the water there was 80 impure that
he would have to move. He had found tho
water Of Arlington just what he needed, and he
wished to build there. At first the people Of
Arlington did not look with favor ON the project
but when France explained that the article he
manufactured was not celuloid, but cellonite,
which was non-explosive, they consented to his
building his factory and the Arlington Improve
ment Company gave him plot Of land in Front
st., running parallel with the railroad. France
bought enough Of the adjoining land to make O
plot 200 feet square and put up his works. finish
ing them about year ago.
Three Incorporated companies Of all of which
France was president operated the establishment.
These were the Cellonite Manufacturing
Company. the Arlington Collar and
Cuff Company. the Offices Of both Of which were st
Works, the Office Of which is in Duane-st
About II , a; M Yesterday the inhabitants tanS
the % sound Of falling walls and tho
rattle of breaking glass. Almost Immediately aftec
there was a second explosion, and those In the
neigh borhood of the cellonfte works saw the walls
of the drying and converting rooms fly in all direc:
tIons followed almost Immediately by fames At
the time of the explosion there were in the collar
and cuff building N. H. Barnes. the superintendent
of the works, seven girls, three men and four boys
entered the packing room when the explosion came.
and 1t hurled HIM with great force into
the engi1e-rOom, about fifteen feet away:
back into the main room. He met girl running
out who told him that two persons had been killed
He hurried into the room and saw the employees
crawling out from under boxes, fallen beams and
machinery. One Of the young women, Miss Arlauns
Mutchmore, who had charge of the finishing of the
nS
a sort of corner, where her legs were held fast by
the fallen timber and machinery Mr.. Barnes, to-
gether with Arthur Riley. John Pringle and James
Smith, ran to her assistance and tried to extrcats
her. But their efforts were in vain.
The flames were rapidly creeping upon them:
and it became evident that nothing could save the
I IpsSs. aSsa ri a.s s &asehsas @ sssr s.s
fas'nHSs as Hss men nc the 'ns K. sd Sns ns ssr
Obliged to run for their lives. So rapidly did the
flames spread that in eight minutes after the ex-
plosion the buildings were oil OH fire.
In the converting room were three tanks contain
ing. it is said by soe forty galonsof alcohol each,
while others say that the liquid was mixture
containing nitric acid Twas these tanks INKS " Thsh N
244 Wnrreu-st, Newark was at work near these
tanks aud was thrown violently forward by the
force Of the EXPLOSION lie %anaSea to rssasd srsw
a place of safety it was found
that he was so badly injured internally that he waa
taken to St Michaels Hospital, Newark
The flames were soon extinguished and search
for bodies was made in the ruins The ofnees ana
novelty works. the tall chimney of the epgine-roon
of the sheds were standing. Among the ruins Of
the collar and cuff building was found the head and
a portion Of the body of Miss Mutchmorc; The
taken TO the Morgue at East Newark. portion
of the law bone, q pocket book and some trinkets
we're found afterward near the same spot. For
OF loo from tb he rToans Na m
with bricks. plaster and the debris OF the wrecked
building
About twenty five yards east of the drying room
was found the body Of man severely cut about the
head and badly burned between the breast and
knees This was the body of August HoImgreen,
a Swede age twenty-four. who had charge OF the
driving room when the explosion occurred
and who alone could tell how the accident oc-
CURED.
works had all their window glass shattered, ana Ia
many houses the ceilings all came down. The house
Of George Westake about 1870 SaEEss n.s,s ,sas
1T will have TO be taken down. 1t cost $i .1OO ana
was built about year ago Mrs. WestIake was In
the cellar at the time OF the explosion ana BIO
thou ght it was an earthquake.
About 100 yards beyond Mr.. Westlake's house in
the same direction. is that of Edward Stevens
Ic ipAAa OF n nrnhn
Ole cost of $500 peculiar effect of the explosion
on this house was that the wire window
screens were cut from their frames as II
was also badly shaken and the agent.
w. ID. Robertson was cut about the head by flying
The Arlir gton Hotel, Nicholus & Doty's plumbing
shop and Alien & Heath's dry-goOds and grocery
store were among the buildings which suffered
most. ,,.
S.. 600 and that IN the village about So, 5O0
Mr.. Barnes. the superintendept says that abons
ssfn Wssf mn MINUTES to the @ end saw
Holmgren sweeping out Holmeren had positive
orders not to let the heat IN the room yet seySpd
only way in which he Gan account for tho explosion
is that Holmgren struck spark from nail. whioh
shows that the material must have been ex'
superiu tendent Curtis Of the mechanical depart
ment of the works would not say what the nature
OF the exploded material was ne said; tS;v hSwevcr:
Germ was found so unm marketable that .
Change was made In the position Of mechanical
superintendent and consulting chemist. l got the
When we came here We found lot of the stuR
made up. but we would have nothing to DO with II
as it was dangerous we only manufscsulc tnc
cotton was in the drying ROOM which is in reality
gun cotton. We had young fellow. sbout. twenty. =.
other workmen acted under direction Of the cor-
sulting chemist, and II they had followed tmplt.
CITY the instructions given them thorc would have
70 guess At quantities or were reckess in eompound-
ing m aterieis When wet. the material Is harmless
aud IL is only when drying any mistake In compo-
The following is Q list OF the dead and moro So
verely injured:
HoLxoREN August ago swentyfour' niiea py sns eapo